Florida Atlantic (20-9, 3-3) at Wichita State (16-10, 4-2)
Wichita, Kan. | Wilkins Stadium
Friday, March 20 | 6:00 PM
Saturday, March 21 | 4:00 PM
Sunday, March 22 | 12:00 PM
TV: ESPN+ (All Games)
Stats: Statbroadcast.com
 

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$5 FriYAY 
Friday nights are better at the ballpark. Come and enjoy Shocker Softball and $5 drink specials at Wilkins Stadium.

Taylor Swift Night/SASO Appreciation Night
It's a night straight out of your wildest dreams! Enjoy music, games, and in-game promotions inspired by Taylor Swift all night long! We'll also be celebrating SASO, recognizing the incredible support that helps make Shocker Athletics possible.

Country Music Day
Kick up the dust at Wilkins Stadium for Country Night! Put on your boots and cowboy hats and enjoy a country twist on game day with music, fun, and Shocker Softball.
 

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QUICK HITS
• Conference play rolls on this weekend at Wilkins Stadium when the preseason favorites come to town for a trio of games.
• Wichita State is 6-4 over its last 10 games.
• Wichita State's midweek at Oklahoma State on March 10 was suspended until April 8 with the game in the bottom of the 7th with 1 out and the Shockers leading 8-3. The two teams will finish that game before starting the scheduled game on April 8.
• Wichita State is riding a 5-game win streak after sweeping UAB and a midweek DH vs. South Dakota State.
• Jade Sanders threw the program's 22nd no-hitter in the 8-0 run-rule win over Creighton on Feb. 21. It was the first no-hitter since Chloe Barber's 5-inning no-no on May 5, 2024.
• After failing to hit a home run over the first 5 games, Wichita State has hit 27 over its last 15.
• Ausha Moore ranks 19th nationally in on base percentage at .584.
• Moore was named American Player of the Week on March 2.
• Wichita State is scheduled to face eight NCAA Tournament teams from a year ago (Mississippi State, Arkansas, Clemson, Miami (OH), Oklahoma State, Florida Atlantic, South Florida, Oklahoma).
• Wichita State was picked to finish 3rd by the league's coaches in the 2026 American Conference Preseason Coaches Poll. Florida Atlantic received 8 first place votes and was picked to win the league. USF came in 2nd.
• Seven Shockers return in 2026, led by 2025 American Conference Co-Freshman of the Year, Ryley Nihart.
• Wichita State welcomes 14 newcomers into the fold in the way of seven transfers, two junior college transfers and five freshmen.
• A pair of highly decorated McLennan Community College transfers hope to follow in CC Wong's footsteps. Wong, a former Wichita State All-American, spent two seasons at McLennan and was the 2022 Co-National Player of the Year. This season Trinity Allen and Mickayla Tosch bring their talents to Wichita. Allen was the 2025 NJCAA National Player of the Year and two-time All-American. Tosch was also a two-time NJCAA All-American and two-time Rawlings Gold Glove winner.

SCOUTING FLORIDA ATLANTIC
Florida Atlantic comes on a two-game losing streak after dropping 2-of-3 against East Carolina last weekend. The Owls were picked to win the league, but are just 3-3 in conference play after the first two weekends. Lily Holtje leads the Owls' offensive attack, hitting a team-high .436 with 5 home runs, 10 doubles and 27 RBIs. Three different Owls hit better than .400 in the lineup, and three others hit over .340. Kylie Hammonds has 7 homers to go with 15 RBIs and a .373 average. The reigning American Pitcher of the Year Autumn Courtney is 9-5 with a 2.72 ERA in 64.1 innings to go with 59 strikeouts and 21 walks. Ainsley Lambert is primarily used out of relief, as she has 17 appearances but just one start this season. Her 2.62 ERA and 6 saves lead the team.

SERIES HISTORY
The series between Wichita State and Florida Atlantic dates back to 2001. The Owls won the first two meetings with both wins coming at the FIU Invitational in back-to-back seasons. In the first season as members of the American, Florida Atlantic took the regular season series with the Shockers, 2-1, in Wichita. The Owls have won each of the first two series since joining the American following last season's sweep in Boca Raton.

LAST MEETING VS. THE OWLS
Wichita State was swept by the Owls in 2025, marking the first time in 10 years, the Shockers were swept in a conference series. The Shockers managed to score just two runs in the three-game series and were outscored 14-2. In the opener, Wichita State tied the game at 1-1 in the Top of the 5th only to see the Owls strike in the bottom half with four runs, collecting a 5-1 win. Ellee Eck had two of the team's six hits. On Saturday, Wichita State managed just four hits, two of those belonging to Lauren Lucas. FAU posted single runs in the 2nd, 3rd, 5th and 6th innings on the way to a 4-1 victory. The Shocker bats were even more silent in the finale, tallying only two hits and getting shutout, 5-0. FAU scored two runs in the 1st and three more in the 6th.

LAST TIME OUT
Wichita State is coming off a conference sweep of UAB this past weekend. The Shockers defeated the Blazers 6-5, 9-1 (5) and 2-1 to earn their first sweep since 2024. In the series opener, Wichita State rallied from a 4-0 deficit to win in walk-off fashion thanks to Jodie Epperson's RBI single. The two teams played a doubleheader on Saturday to wrap up the series, both in different fashion. Wichita State needed only 5 innings to run-rule the Blazers, 9-1, in the first game. Gabby Scott and Kinzey Woody both homered, while four different Shockers had multi-hit games. The finale saw both teams go scoreless through the first 4 innings until Trinity Allen drove in both of Wichita State's runs on a double in the bottom of the 5th. The Blazers got a run back in the 6th, but Ryley Nihart would keep them off the board in the 7th to close it out.

SEE YOU NEXT MONTH FOR A GAME AND TWO OUTS
Wichita State's midweek game at #21 Oklahoma State was suspended in the bottom of the 7th with one out due to weather. The Shockers were two outs away from recording a top 25 win until rain and lightning stopped the game. The two teams will complete the game on April 8 with the Shockers leading 8-3 when the Cowgirls are already scheduled to play at Wichita State.

PLAYER OF THE WEEK
Ausha Moore picked up her first American Conference Player of the Week award on March 2. Moore crushed the ball at the Mizzou Invitational, going 8-for-10 with two doubles, three home runs, six runs scored and five RBIs over four games. It is the first POW for Wichita State this season. D1 Softball also tabbed Moore the Mid-Major Player of the Week.

RPI - WEEK TWO
Wichita State checked in at No. 67 in the second week of RPI rankings on March 16. The Shockers have already faced 10 teams in the Top 70, including No. 6 Arkansas, No. 9 Mississippi State, No. 15 Clemson, No. 16 Baylor, No. 23 Oklahoma State, No. 42 Kansas, No. 52 East Carolina (three times), No. 56 Miami (OH), No. 60 Texas State and No. 70 Missouri.The Shockers still have games against No. 13 Oklahoma, No. 28 Oklahoma State, No. 31 South Florida (three times), No. 41 Kansas, No. 56 Charlotte (three times) and No. 59 Florida Atlantic (three times).

NO-NO
Jade Sanders tossed the program's 22nd no-hitter in the 8-0 run-rule win over Creighton on Feb. 21. Sanders struck out 10 and walked only two in 6.0 innings of work. Its the first no-hitter since Chloe Barber's on May 5, 2024 vs. Memphis. Sanders' 10 strikeouts are the most in a no-hit performance by a Wichita State pitcher since Margo Pruis struck out 13 in her no-hitter on March 11, 2006 vs. Northern Colorado.

GRAND FASHION
Wichita State freshman Kinzey Woody hit her first career home run - a walk-off grand slam - on Feb. 21 vs. Creighton. It was the first grand slam since Addison Barnard vs. Tulsa in the American Conference Championship on May 9, 2024 and the first walk-off home run since Barnard on April 20, 2024 vs. UAB.

TOUGH SLEDDING
Wichita State has never shied away from playing a tough schedule, and that is no different in 2026. The Shockers are scheduled to play six teams ranked or receiving votes in the Preseason NFCA Top 25: No. 3 Oklahoma, No. 9 Arkansas, No. 13 Clemson, No. 22 Mississippi State and No. 24 Oklahoma State. Florida Atlantic received votes.

COLLECTING THE ACCOLADES
The Shockers had a First-Team All-Conference honoree for the 12th consecutive season in 2025. Lauren Lucas earned First Team All-Conference honors this season. The streak began in 2013 with Erin Carney.

SOMETHING TO CHEW ON
Head Coach Kristi Bredbenner started a new tradition in 2021 to reward players who hit home runs. Instead of a normal high-five for her players as they round the bases, Bredbenner began tossing a piece of Hi-Chew candy to her home run hitters. Former Shocker Madyson Espinosa should be credited for introducing the chewy candy to Coach B at the first tournament of the season down in Conroe, Texas, and thus a new tradition was born. The tradition enters season No. 5 in 2025, so be on the lookout for flying candy.

THE BRED-WINNER
Kristi Bredbenner is the longest tenured head coach in Wichita State softball history, which has resulted in 431 wins in 15 seasons. Bredbenner has the second-highest winning percentage in school history (.574) behind current Florida softball coach Tim Walton. She is Wichita State's all-time wins leader after surpassing Jim Maynard on April 24, 2022.

UP NEXT
Wichita State travels to Tampa for a three-game series at South Florida, March 27-29.